Lawn-mower-blade-grinding machine.



PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

W. H. FETTBRS. LAWN MOWER BLADE GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 26, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEBT l.

ATTORNEYS a V 36 z WIN/E8858:

No- 805,127. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

W. H. FETTBRS.

LAWN MOWER BLADE GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR fi M 2/1 71mm Jan/ 7%? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed May 26, 1905. Serial No. 262,527.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY FET- TERS, residing at Plymouth, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Lawn Mower Blade- Grinding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention, which relates generally to grinding-machines, more particu larly comprehends certain improvements on that type of grinding-machine disclosed in my Patent No. 702,785, dated June 7, 1902.

My present invention comprehends, first, an improved means of journaling the wheelcarrying shaft whereby to normally hold the said wheel to the blade being operated on and to permit of moving the wheel back from the blade to permit the knife-carrying reel of the lawn-mower to bring the knives in proper position to be engaged by the wheel without changing the position of the mower; second, in a special arrangement of mowersupporting means and devices for conveniently and accurately adjusting said supporting means to bring the mower up to a proper position relatively to the grinding-wheel; third, in the means for detachably supporting the cutter-bar to the grinding-wheel.

My present invention also embodies certain subordinate and peculiar arrangement of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully explained, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved blade-grinding machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, taken practically on the line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper part of the machine, showing the cutter-bar-holding device in position for sustaining the cutter-bar of the grinding-wheel. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 4 4 on Fig. 3, illustrating the manner in which the cutter-bar is held up to the grinding-wheel. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the hangers for the grinding-wheel shaft. Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section taken on the line 7 7 on Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation illustrating the slotted arm and the manner of gripping the blade. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the supplemental attachment (0. hereinafter specifically referred to.

The general arrangement of the supporting-frame of my present construction of grinding-machine is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprises the end frames 1 2, the latter having a vertical extension 2 having an inwardly-extending bracket-arm 2 braced by an inclined member 2 that extends over and is secured to the top of the other end frame, as shown. The driving power is mounted on the extension 2 of the end frame 2 and as shown, consists of a shaft 2 carrying fast and loose belt-pulleys p, a small sprocket-wheel s, and a large chain drive-wheel 0 which transmits the power to the grinding-wheel shaft 0 through the medium of the chain belt 0 that passes over a small sprocket-wheel c on the shaft 0, and said driving-wheel c has a crank-handle for imparting motion when belt-power is not applicable for the pulleys p p. The frame extension 2 also carries a belt-shifting lever 0 as shown.

The feeding-shaft 10, the grinding-wheel 19, the shaft O, and the connections between the Wheel 11 and the shaft are arranged substantially the same as disclosed in my patent before referred to and includes a sleeve 21., mounted on the screw or feed shaft 10, carrying a spring-held stud 23, that engages the threads of shaft 10, and which causes thesleeve to travel along the feed shaft when the latter is actuated. The sleeve 21 has a pendent arm 24, whose bifurcated end straddles the annularlygrooved hub 19 of the wheel 19, and to the said arm 24 is secured the guide member 25 for engaging the blade or knives to be sharpened, and the said member 25 is adjustably connected to the arm 24 by the set -bolt 26, that passes through the slot 25 in the arm 25 and through the arm 24. The end of the member 25 engages one side of the blade or cutter, (see Fig. 2,) and the opposite side of the blade or cutter is engaged by a second guide member 27, pivoted to the member 25 and pressed in the direction of the other blade-guide by the spring 28.

The grinding-Wheel 19 rotates with the shaft O, which is grooved longitudinally to receive the feather on the grinding-wheel hub.

In my present construction the shaft 0 is journaled at the ends in hanger-brackets C and C fulcrumed on the stud-pins C C,

made fast to the inner sides of the upper end of end frames 1 and 2, and the lower ends of the brackets C C have pendent lugs 5, with which engage rods 5 5 that pass -frames, and the ends of the rods 5 5 are threaded to receive thumb-nuts (Z d. On the rods between the brackets 1 2 and the lugs 5 are mounted stout coil-springs 5 5 the tension of which normally forces the grinding-wheel shaft forwardly to hold the grinding-wheel to the work. By arranging the grinding-wheel shaft in the manner shown the same can be readily adjusted to or from the work by proper manipulation of the thumb nuts (1 d to move the grindingwheel back from the blade last worked to allow the reel to turn to bring the next knife or blade into position to'be ground. (See Fig. 7.)

The mower-supporting means shown in the drawings forms an essential feature of my present invention, and said means consists of a pair of bars 0 0 one for each end frame 1 and 2, detachably supported on the said end frames for longitudinal and vertical adjustment, and each of the said bars 0 has near its outer end a horizontal slot 7 C to receive the ends of the stud-bolts 7 that pass through the vertical slots and 2O in the end frames, which are held in proper position in the slots 10 by the thumb-nuts d d, this method of connecting the front end of the bars 0 allowing for a free vertical swing of the said front ends to raise or lower the mower with respect to the grinding-wl'ieel, and by having the slots 7" the said bars 0 c are free to be moved transversely of the machine for setting the lawn-mower transversely of the machine to the required positions. Each bar 0 0 has a series of curved seats 0 c on the inner side to accommodate the detachably-held srmportihg-rods 8, which extend lengthwise of the machine and are set in the said seats to suit the character or size of the mower. At the rear ends the bars 0 a have wide horizontal slots 0, through which pass the ends of an adjusting-shaft 0 the extreme ends of which are adapted to be detachably supported at different heights in either set of a pair of brackets 1 2", projected rearwardly from the end frames 1 and 2, and each end of the shaft 0 carries a pinion 10 10, that engages a rack portion 9 in line with the slots 0", and one end of'the, shaft 0 has a crank-handle c, the turning of which causes frames 0 c to move back and forth transversely of the machine to properly set the mower. For raising the front ends of the frames 0 c cams 3O are provided,

which are fast on the shaft 30, adapted to be dctachably supported in the brackets 10 and 20 on the front edge of the end frames, and at one end the shaft 3O has an actuating crank-handle 30, whose short arm I) carries a bolt or stud I), that takes through a segmental slot 4 in the end frame 1 and which also carries a thumb-nut 4 the tightening of which holds the lever or handle 30 four-blade mowers the cutting-bar must be removed from the mower and fastened to the attachment 0, as there is not enough room in working four-blade mowers for the grinding-wheel to get between the reelknives. The attachment 0 consists of thebase portion 18, the right-angle end portions 18, studs 18 adjustable in the end portions 18, and adapted to rest in the claw-bearings I) b 011 the front edges of the ends 1 and 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and a rest-flange 18 for the lower edge of the cutterbar.

50 designates a jack for supporting the handle of the mower, as shown in Fig. 1, and said jack has a vertically-adjustable hook 50", on which the mower-handle rests, as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the complete construction and operation of my present invention will be apparent.

it will be noticed my present machine is adapted for operating on different sizes and styles of mowers, since special provision is made for bringing the operating parts in a proper relation with the diflerently-supported mowers. By reason of the manner in which the parts are now arranged the mower can be easily set vertically or transversely and held to its adjustment, and the grinding-wheel can healso set to suit the blades or cutters to be worked and moved out of the way to permit the knife-reel being shifted to bring the different knives into position to be operated on without changing the set position of the mower.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A grinding-machine of the character described, comprising a suitable frame, a grinding-wheel, means for simultaneously rotating the wheel and moving it laterally, and a mower-supporting means mounted in the frame, vertically and transversely adjustable with respect to the grindingwheel.

2. In a grinding-machine of the character described, in combination with a suitable frame, a grinding-wheel, and means for simultaneously rotating the wheel and feeding it laterally; a mower-supporting means mounted on the frame, vertically and transversely adjustable devices for moving said supporting means bodily in the transverse direction, and another device for moving the said supporting means with the mower thereon, vertically as set forth.

3. A grinding-machine of the character described, comprising in combination with the main frame, the grinding-wheel and means for feeding it laterally as it is rotated; a mower-support, comprising end bars, and longitudinal members that connect with the end bars, said end bars being pivotally supported at one end on the end sections of the main frame, a lever-actuated means for elevating the free end of the pivoted bars and a detent for holding the lever to its adjusted positions.

4. The combination with the main frame, the grinding-Wheel and the means for feeding said wheel laterally as it is rotated; of the mower-support, consisting of cross-bars, one for each end member of the main frame, said cross-bars being mounted at the front end on the said main frame end members, for vertical movement, the rear ends of the bars having slots and rack portions, and a rotary shaft j ournaled on the main frame whose ends pass through the slots in the cross-bars and form the bearing for the rear end of the cross-bars, said shaft carrying pinions for engaging the racks on the cross-b ars for the purpose described.

5. A grinding-machine comprising a main frame, a means for supporting the lawnmower, a grinding-wheel mounted to engage the mower blades or knives, means for feeding the grinding-wheel laterally as it is rotated, and devices for holdin the grindingwheel away from the mower b lades or knives as set forth.

6. In a machine of the character described, a grinding-wheel having simultaneous rotary and lateral motion, automatically held up against the blade or knife operated on and means for moving and holding the said wheel away from the Work without interfering with its rotary and lateral motion.

7. A grinding-machine comprising a shaft, swinging supports in which the said shaft is journaled, a grinding-wheel mounted to rotate with said shaft and to move longitudinally thereof, a means for feeding said wheel laterally as it is rotated, and devices for automatically swinging the hangers with the shaft and grinding-wheel thereon toward the work and for moving and holding the shaft and wheel away from the work as set forth.

8. In a machine as described, the main frame, the hangers pivotally suspended one on each end of the main frame, the actuatingshaft journaled in said hangers, the grinding- Wheel mounted therein to rotate therewith, means mounted on the main frame for feeding the grinding-wheel laterally as it is rotated, said hangers having pendent portions, threaded rods connected to said portions and projected rearwardly through the parts of the main frame, thumb-nuts on the threaded ends of the rods and springs about the said rods, all arranged substantiallv as shown and for the purposes described.

WILLIAM HENRY FETTERS. WVitnesses:

E. K. TRAUGER, FRANK P. SMITH. 

